Kat's Lullaby
by KatherynaElizabeth
Summary: Finnick's little sister, Kat, gets reaped for the 73rd Hunger Games, and she shows the world how strong she is.
1. Chapter 1

-Side note, Finnick was in the 69th games and Annie was in the 70th.

Finnick, 73rd Hunger Games:

I sat with my parents and Annie, carefully watching my younger sister, Kat, as she stands nervously with the females her age. I saw her whip her head to look at me, and I smiled and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled back, uneasily. Annie gave her a small smile and wave. She's only 13, the chances of her being picked are so small, and we're from a wealthy district, so she never signed up for Tesserae. I saw as she looked forward again, and a small tear roll down her face. Keema, a woman from the Capitol who does the reaping in 4 every year, walked up to the stage and gave a small speech, and thanked the winners of previous Hunger Games, looking over and giving a slight nod to Annie and I, and a few others. She asked one of us to step up to the stage, and I did, and gave my best wishes to everybody in a small speech, and went back to be seated.

"Well, thank you Finnick," she said in her ridiculous Capitol accent, "Now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for! Ladies first," she reached her hand in the bowl containing all of the female names of our district.

It seemed like an eternity until she finally pulled one out, and another one when she unfolded it. She looked at it, and had a surprised look on her face. "Katherine Odair!"

I looked over at Kat, and she wasn't moving, she was just staring at me, tears streaming down her face, too afraid to move. I couldn't volunteer, I was already in the Games 4 years before, and plus, I couldn't anyways, I'm a male. I motioned for her to go up. She slowly moved up to the stage. Her crying seemed to have ceased before she got to the stage, but her eyes were still red and puffy. She sniffled a bit. She spoke into the microphone, "Hi. I'm Kat Odair, 13 years old."

Keema smiled and said, "Do you happen to be related to our past victor, Finnick Odair? It seems the odds are not in his favor during the reapings!"

"He's my older brother," the tears were threatening to spill down her cheeks again.

I was trying to push myself up to the stage, but the Peacekeepers were holding me back. I let out a strangled yell for Kat. I couldn't let her into that arena, I refused to, but I didn't know how to keep her back. I looked at all the eligible females of our District, they just looked at me and her in pity. I started sobbing where I sat. Annie and my parents tried to comfort me as much as possible.

"Any volunteers?" complete and utter silence. All you could hear was the wind whistling by.

"Well then! Now for our male tribute!" she once again dug her hand into one of the giant glass bowls. She plucked out a folded paper, a paper that could mean that boy's death. Just a tiny, folded piece of paper could destroy a family within seconds. She unfolded it and spoke loudly into the microphone, "Jasper Turin!"

I knew Jasper, but not well. He's 2 years younger than me, a 16 year old. He shuffled his feet up to the stage, apparently trying to stall as much time as completely possible, and I didn't blame him. It appeared he wasn't shedding any tears, but his facial expression spoke a million words, and fear was one of them.

"Hello everybody, my name is Jasper Turin and I am 16 years of age." He spoke in a surprisingly strong voice, considering his situation.

"Are there any volunteers for this young man?" Once again, complete silence. Jasper looked down at his feet.

"That's it for the District 4 reaping, ladies and gentlemen! Jasper, Katherine, shake hands!"

Kat faced Jasper, smiled, grasped his hand, and gave a strong shake. I saw her mouth to him "Good luck," and Jasper smiled at her. I was still streaming tears, but partly now because of the spark of bravery that showed through Kat.

~More chapters? I have this really great idea for the games and the QQ. :D ~Katheryna~


	2. Chapter 2

_-I absolutely could not wait to write chapter 2, with reviews or not, so I just hope people like my story._

Kat:

After the reaping, a group of Peacekeepers took Jasper and I to separate small rooms to wait for the next step toward or demises. I sat in a chair, holding my knees up to my chin, thinking about my strategy for the Games, and what would happen to my family if I lost. I started to cry again, just wishing it was all just a horrible nightmare, but in my heart I knew it wasn't. I started writing out something.

_My name is Katherine Odair, from District 4. I am 13 years young, and I feel like one of the Capitol's pawns they use in their horrible Games. I am the younger sister of victor, Finnick Odair. He has taught me how to be strong, and has trained me for this ever since I was 5. I'm ready for this, even though I don't feel ready. I feel like dirt on the bottom of the Capitol's shoes. I feel scared, because if I get even more frightened of this, I'm afraid I'll combust. Out of all the horrible things I've thought of, I never really ever thought I would be picked. I love my family, and my friends, and Annie. I hope I don't die, but if I do, I hope everybody knows I care so very much about them. I hate this world, I hate Panem, I hate the Capitol, and I despise the retched Hunger Games they throw innocent children into._

I folded up the note, and set it onto the table next to me. I hear somebody talking to the Peacekeepers outside, and the voice sounds familiar. Finnick, I think to myself. Finnick has come to see me. My heart leaps for joy. I hear the Peacekeepers tell him he has three minutes with me, and the door opens, and Finnick enters. I jump off my chair and hug him tight, never wanting to ever let go. He strokes my hair. I start crying all over again.

"I don't want to go. Finnick, don't let me go in that arena. Please, don't let me go," I hold him tighter.

"Kat, if I could stop them, I would. You know I would, I love you. You're strong though, I trained you for this if it ever happened. Don't show them that you're weak, show them that you're an Odair and you're ready to fight."

"But, I'm 13. There're older girls and boys in the arena, and Districts 1 and 2 are careers. If there are careers that are older than me, I don't stand a chance!"

"Age doesn't matter. You're strong and very agile. If you get your hands on some throwing knives, it's all over for them, Kitty Kat."

I giggled at the ridiculous nickname he gave me when I was little. I walked over and grabbed the note I had written before, and slid it in his pocket. "Time's almost up, Finnick. I love you, and don't be sad if I die, please."

He kissed the top of my head. "Knock them out. I love you too."

The Peacekeepers entered the room, "Time's up, let's go," they led him out of the room and shut the door. I was left alone in that room for about 5 minutes until a man and a woman escorted me out of the room and to the train, along with a group of Peacekeepers. Once on the train, Jasper and I were told to sit at the table on the train, along with the man and woman, who were in previous Hunger Games. The man slid me something that made me burst with joy.

"My fish keychain, thank you! I was so nervous this morning before the reaping I forgot it," I was elated. "How did you get it?"

He smiled. "Your mother caught up to me and gave it to me, asking for me to give it to you."

After that, they began with introducing them, the man's name was Darien and the woman's Emmelia. Darien won the 64th games, and is now 25. Emmelia won the 59th games, and is now 31. Three Avoxes served us our meal, and our mentors talked to us about strategies and how to win the Games, while we ate. I only ate food from my district, afraid to eat anything else. Jasper, on the other hand, was sampling food from each district. We watched videos of the past 10 years of Games. I smiled when we reached the 69th and saw Finnick fight. I watched carefully every move he made. Watched every intricate knot he made in making nets, the same way he braided my hair sometimes. I started to feel so homesick, and the waterworks felt like they were going to start again. Jasper saw this and put an arm around my shoulders. "I want to go home. I don't want to fight."

"Me either," he stated, then looked me right in the eye, "Listen, I'll do whatever it takes to keep you alive. You have a special thing with the people at home, everybody loves you. I've seen you fight, your brother taught you well."

I nodded. I trusted him, even if we just met today. Soon, we had arrived at the Capitol, and we were separated and taken to rooms to get ready for opening ceremonies. I met my prep team, a group of silly looking Capitol men and women. They gushed over me.

"Oh my! Look at this girl, her natural beauty!" they looked down at a clipboard at my name, "Katherine Odair? You must be related to Finnick, so wonder you're so beautiful!" I was blushing, whenever people think of me they think of 'Finnick Odair's little sister', but during the games, I'm hoping to change that.

"Yes, I am. What are we going to do today?"

"Mainly plucking and waxing! We need to get you all prettied up, then we'll hand you over to Tenney, your main stylist."

So for the next 30 minutes they did things I never felt the need to do, such as plucking my eyebrows, and putting me in this vile tub of liquid, then waxing my legs, armpits, and other places. Everywhere they removed hair now stung. Then they bathed me in water, which made me homesick all over again. They began working on my hair, braiding it in a type of unique braid, similar how my hair was usually braided, like how my mother or brother did it, but not quite. Then onto my makeup, they used a palette of pale blues and greens, the colors of the sea. Then they handed me over to Tenney.

"Ah, Katherine, pleased to meet you," he wasn't ridiculously dressed like the prep team. He had short brown hair, fair skin, and brown eyes, with a single earring in his right ear. "You look fantastic, now onto your outfit. He made me strip out of my simple white gown, so I was left wearing my undergarments. He helped me get into this outfit with greens, blues and purples, and pinks. It was beautiful. There was a woven crown with the same color scheme made of vines, rope, and some type of fabrics. I slipped it onto my head, and looked in the mirror and smiled. "Thank you, I love it."

He smiled back. "Let's get out there and show the world that you're not just Finnick's sister, but that you can blow them away with who _you_ are." I gasped, somebody finally understood.

I joined Jasper outside, he was dressed similar as me. I saw the other tributes, and concluded I was the youngest and smallest. My heart was pounding in my chest. They whispered and pointed at me. I just stood straight up and looked ahead. Jasper and I were put in a chariot, and we were off. We were 4th in line, because of our district. People cheered for us, and I gave them a dazzling smile. They went wild, and they were giving me incredible confidence. Jasper held my hand, and we held our conjoined hands up high. People were throwing flowers and trinkets in our direction. And soon it was over, and interview time.

Jasper was first, and he talked about our district and such, and everything he said, the crowd was just eating it all up. He has always had a way with people and never looks nervous during interviews and speeches.

My turn. All Caesar wanted to talk about was my brother. So I finally had my opportunity to turn my sweet and bubbly personality into something slightly dangerous. "Finnick? Oh yes, he's great, but you know Caesar, there's a side of me that Panem hasn't seen, you know."

He raises his vibrant purple dyed eyebrows, "Oh, whatever do you mean, Miss Odair?"

"My dangerous and vicious side. My fighter side. The side I inherited from having two people I know coming out alive from the Games."

"Finnick Odair and Annie Cresta? But Annie won by floating when the arena flooded."

"Sure, but she saw death. She saw strategies, which she passed onto me. So, other tributes, watch your backs." I gave my dazzling smile again, but his time, has a different meaning, a meaning of danger. The audience erupted in applause and whistling. I said one more thing before leaving. "Watch your back, Panem."

Jasper, Emmelia and Darien applauded me backstage. "That was amazing! Where did that come from?" asked Darien.

I looked him dead in the eye, without a smile. "My heart. After years, I finally want to be my own person, instead of in the shadow of my brother. I hope it works, and doesn't make people afraid to sponsor me."

Emmelia laughed. "Are you kidding, that just makes people love you! Sweet but yet dangerous? Panem will adore you."

I smiled at Jasper. "Let the Games begin."


	3. Chapter 3

Kat:

After the interview, I went to the training arena, to train and then receive our scores. I practiced for a while sprinting and climbing, and then I went to throw knives. I got up to the knife throwing platform, everybody was watching me. My hands began to shake. I grabbed a handful of knives, and threw one. I completely missed the target, and it lodged itself into a wall. The others laughed, except Jasper. I stopped shaking, and used all of my force and threw the next knife, and it ended up dead center, and all you could see was the hilt of the knife, because I threw it so hard. The others then looked at me impressed, and I could tell I was a target then of the careers. The archery section was next. My heart fell. I had never tried archery. District 12 was up first, it was in descending order. Both of the tributes were excellent with a bow and arrow. I gulped in nervousness. The other districts weren't as good, then my turn. I took the bow and arrow from the District 5 male, and tried the best I could. I shot the target in the knee. Well, at least I could stop them from moving. The others didn't laugh, they weren't good, either. I gave it to Jasper, who got the targets all dead center. Where did he learn to do that, I thought. 1 and 2 were okay with it. Then it was scoring time. After 10 minutes, I was up. I had to make an impression. The trainers looked at me. I saw weights, they had to be 100 pounds, at least. I was 98, so I chose them to show I could throw something heavier than I was. I picked up a 105 pounder, and threw it at a dummy. They were impressed. They muttered excitedly. I picked up the throwing knives, and threw them at a canvas dummy, getting bulls-eyes every time in the head and heart areas. There was a trident hidden in the corner. I sprinted towards it, stayed where I was, and the dummy was about 90 feet away. I threw it, and it decapitated the dummy. I grinned. The people watching were cheering, and dismissed me. In the training room, we got our scores. "District 4 female, 12!" Everybody gasped. The careers looked at me with deadly eyes. Jasper picked me up and shook me gently, and I laughed. I think I can do this.

After training, I was once again let to be styled for the arena. They did my hair in the intricate braids again, on my request, so it would stay out of my face. Then they removed all of my makeup. Then Tenney took over. He put me in my arena outfit, then let me to the room with the cylindrical elevators leading to our platforms. He wished me luck, and pointed to a small pocket on my waist with a zipper, and I unzipped it and grinned.

"I made that pocket especially for your token. Didn't want you to lose it."

I gently touched the fish keychain, and thanked him. I hugged him, "Thank you for everything. This may be the last time I see you, and your last time to see me alive. I wish you luck in everything."

I entered the elevator, and it began to rise. We smiled at one another, and soon he was out of view, and I saw a vast grassy arena with the giant Cornucopia. I spotted a set of throwing knives. They're mine, I thought. After thinking out my plan, I looked at the clock. 5 seconds. I got into running position. Time to go. I took all of my energy inside my body and flew off the platform, my slim and small frame allowed running position. Time to go. I took all of my energy inside my body and flew off the platform, my slim and small frame allowed me to get an excellent head start. I was by far the fastest. I swiped up the throwing knives and a medium sized backpack, and the others were still only halfway to the Cornucopia. I pulled out a knife, threw it, and it buried itself in the temple of the girl from District 6, and she fell dead to the ground, no cannon, I suppose it's because we were in the bloodbath. I ran into the woods, and scurried up a tree. I looked into my backpack, hoping for something useful, and found trail mix, matches, a blanket, and an axe, with the blade separate from the handle. In the distance I saw a boy with short dark blonde hair. Jasper, I was sure of it. He was coming closer. When he finally reached me, he sat at the base of the same exact tree I was in. I watched him for a bit, then I saw a pack coming, and he wasn't paying attention.

"Hey guys, look at this one, it's the boy from 4! Who wants him?" Asked the boy from 10.

Jasper looked up in fear, and tried to run, but the boy from 7 grabbed the back of his jacket, and pulled out a knife. I jumped out of the tree, and landed on my feet. I guess my brother doesn't call me Kitty Kat for nothing. I had already a knife out, and slit the neck of the boy from 7. The boy from 10 looked me over carefully, then suddenly and arrow came from the distance and shot him in the head. I spun around, and saw the boy from 2. Taking this golden opportunity, the girl from 11, who was with 7 and 10, got me in a headlock. The boy from 2 shot her as well in the knee, then the heart. He scooped me up and started running. I kicked against him, but he was too strong. Jasper was running after us, a sword in hand. He went to a camp with the other three careers. I wailed. 2 clamped a hand over my hand. The boy from 6 came running, but Jasper whirled around and slit his throat. 2 threw me down in front of the other careers.

"Look what I gathered, you guys! Little Miss Odair, who claims she's 'dangerous' because of what she learned," he laughed.

"Roman, can I please kill her, I've always wanted to kill somebody who scored high," said the girl from 2.

"Rissa, you're joking, right? She is the most valuable ally in this arena! She scored 12, we want her on our side!"

"You're not doing a very good job of making allies. Usually you make friendships, not capture them and force them into it," I told Roman.

He smiled. "I saw you run at the Cornucopia, 4. You would've escaped me. And we don't want that, now do we? I know I should've been less aggressive, but it's in my blood, being a career, I suppose."

"What about Jasper?" I asked pointing at his direction, "Sure, him sitting at that tree after the Bloodbath wasn't very smart, but he is strong. And he can shoot well, like you."

Roman looked up and down Jasper, and nodded. He walked behind him, which made Jasper tense up. Roman then looked up wide eyes, and pushed Jasper to the ground, and ducked himself. A throwing axe came from the distance and struck the skull of the girl from 1. Soon after, cannons went off, finally, and pictures showed up. It was evening. Boom, girl from 1, both from 3, boy from 5, both from 6, boy from 7, girl from 8, boy from 10, girl from 12. That would be ten in all, 14 left. We saw the girl from 7 run off, as she was the one who killed the girl from 1. The boy from 1 held the girl from one, and shook her.

"Blossom, wake up, come on," he removed the axe from her skull, leaving a giant gash. The blade had cut through her skull.

"Reuben, she's gone, stop it. She won't come back. This is the Hunger Games, this stuff is supposed to happen. People die, we move on," says Rissa.

He looked up and nodded. "We should move on, 7 knows where we are, she may be in a pack. But what about the fours? How do we know they won't kill us during the night?"

Rissa smiled. "We never leave them in charge, problem solved."

"How do we know that _you three _are trustworthy? You're careers, and I don't really trust Rissa and Reuben." Roman looked up at me in a puzzled look, probably wondering why I trust him, and I didn't know myself.

They didn't answer me, and we began packing up camp to leave. I found some vines, and began cutting them with one of my knives, on our way to another camping place. The careers looked at me strange, but Jasper knew exactly what I was doing. I began weaving them together, creating a net. "We could use this in trapping somebody, or fishing."

"Thank you district 4!" said Rissa, "I'm starving!"

We heard a rustling sound, and I grabbed a knife. I saw the district 7 girl behind a tree, I threw a knife, and it got her in the arm. She let out a small whimper, grabbed the knife out of her arm, and ran off. "We missed her."

Roman waved his hand, "We'll have plenty of time to get her later. Meanwhile, I'll go hunt, you guys find another place to camp out."

I ran off in another direction, and Rissa was yelling at me, wondering where I was going. I had the net in hand, and was running to find a source of water. I found one about 10 minutes later. I looked around, seeing if there was and looked around, seeing if there was anybody else around. I didn't see anybody. I went towards the lake and started to fish. I heard a scream in the background, and the cannon went off. It was very dark out by now.

"Hey there, 4." Somebody whispered besides me. I grabbed a knife, and they held my wrist. It was only Roman. "Slow down, there. It's okay. I wanted to meet you." He smiled

"Everybody knows me already, because of my brother."

He laughed. "They _think_ they know you, because of him. I want know the real you, the real Kat. See if you're as great as you seem. Because you truly do seem great, you know. I'll start. I'm Roman Carrigan, I'm 14, from 2. I have a little sister, who's 6, and a little brother, who's 12. I begged him not to volunteer for me if I got reaped, and when I did, he tried, and he even said he volunteered, but I wouldn't let him. I told them to ignore him." He looked at me.

"Well, I'm Kat, and I'm 13 from 4. I have an older brother, who I care a lot about, and he seems to care about me. People seem to read me like an open book, so I try to throw them off a bit." He laughed at that.

"And that you do really well, 4." I hugged him, and we sat by the lake together. We ended up falling asleep by the lake, not even thinking about the others in the arena. I dreamt that night about all of the fallen children in the arena. I woke up, still hugging Roman. I smiled a bit, imagining what Finnick must think, his little sister cuddled up to a boy a year older than her. The supposed enemy. I escaped his arms, and began to fish, finally catching one, then two, then three. I caught about 11 fish when I finished. Then I collected some water, in mine and his bottles. We were probably gone for a while, Rissa probably thinks we left them completely, which could be bad, as she could think we're the enemy. Roman soon woke up, and looked groggy, and smiled. "Breakfast?"

"Unless you like your fish raw!" I giggled.

We started a small fire with my matches, and cooked them and got out of that area. We looked all over the arena, then finally found the new career camping ground, with Rissa, Reuben, and Jasper all around, talking about strategies.

"Food for all!" I said, so if they heard us, they wouldn't think we were somebody else.

Rissa had an upset face. "Well, it's about damn time, 4! We were about to starve out here! And I think your boyfriend was about to die from dehydration." She pointed to Jasper, his lips chapped, and he looked weak. I handed him my bottle, ignoring Rissa's snide comment. I saw something off-white behind our pyramid of items at our camp. No, not white, blonde. I held up a finger and snuck around the back of the pyramid, to see the back of the girl from 10. I grabbed her hair and she screamed, and I cut her throat. Boom, her cannon went off.

Rissa cheered. "Great job, 4!" I guess when we get high scores we can be loud.

"Did you hear that, there's somebody around, and they're with one of the fours," whispered somebody, who was very close.

Jasper got up to his feet, and held his sword. Roman got his bow and arrows, Rissa, the axe that killed Blossom, and I got a knife out. Reuben looked up, confused, not hearing them. The boy from 8 was grouped up with most of the remaining survivors. He looked in shock at us, not wanting to take on a group of careers and both the fours, who got high scores. I still didn't know who died the night before, while Roman and I were at the lake.

"Who died last night?" I asked.

The girl from 11 laughed. "Jayle killed the girl from 5." She high-fived the boy from 8, who I guessed was Jayle.

Jayle grinned. "Yeah, and Serida almost killed the girl from 7, but she was too fast. She has a knife wound in her arm, any of you do that?"

"Guilty," I said, guessing Serida was the girl from 11.

Serida guessed that we were distracted, and flung her axe at Reuben's head, and he caught it, and threw it right back at her, killing her. Boom. Jayle just stood there, realizing our strength. He got to his knees, his head down. "I surrender." Roman shot an arrow into his skull. Boom.

Rissa shoved him. "Roman! He surrendered!"

Roman pointed at Jayle's right arm, and Rissa looked confused. I saw it too, so I went to Jayle and pulled his head back, and opened his hand, and he was concealing a knife, tricking us.

"Dirty punk, tricking us." The others with Jayle and Serida were standing around us, not knowing what to do. "Get out or we kill you!" Rissa yelled. They ran, due to the fact that we killed two of their group already. There was one of them, who ran towards us, and Jasper impaled her. Boom. I think she was the girl from 9.

Rissa grimaced. "We made a mess here, and plus, four's fish supply is almost gone."

"I'll go out and get more food, and some water too. May I have your bottles?" Reuben and Rissa didn't have bottles, so we agreed to share.

"I'll go with you, never venture off on your own in the Games," says Roman.

So we're at the lake again, and after five minutes of fishing, Roman asks an odd question. "Do you have anybody special back home?"

"I have my family, and I have Annie and," he cuts me off.

"No, I mean, _very _special. I don't know how to ask without sounding like a complete moron."

"Like, am I in a relationship?" I ask with a smile.

The air seems to heat up around us, and I think he's blushing, but it's too dark to tell. "Yeah. Is that too personal?"

"No, and no. I haven't really felt anything for anybody like that. Sure, I've liked boys, but never so much as to have a relationship with them. And it's not like boys don't like me, it's just, just.." my voice trails off. I don't know why.

And all of a sudden, Roman takes me and kisses me, full on the lips. At first I don't respond, but then I kiss him back, everything erupting inside of me. I've never kissed anybody, but this is everything I think a kiss should be like. I kiss him awkwardly, not really knowing how to do it properly. I pull away gently, afraid to go on, because of my extreme inexperience. "Sorry."

"Sorry? I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't of been like that. My feelings got the best of me."

"What a cute little couple," somebody said scornfully.

We got up to our feet, and saw the group that attacked us earlier, minus three. I finally saw everybody who was in their group. The girl from 8, the boy from 9, the boy from 11, and the boy from 12. The girl from 7 wasn't with them, she was to clever to join a group of scum.

"Roman, you decided to have Pipsqueak as a lover? She'll be dead in no time." Said the boy from 9.

In no time, Roman pulled an arrow out of his quiver and shot the boy from 9 in the head. Another cannon went off.

The boy from 11 started backing off, but the boy from 12 leaped forward and got me in a headlock. "Shoot me, 2, and she'll die as well." Roman pointed an arrow at the girl from 8.

"If you don't let her go, I'll kill 8," said Roman, drawing back the string.

"Fine, kill her then, I have no use for her. If she's gone, more chance of me winning,"

The girl from 8 screamed, and the boy from 12 dropped to the ground, an axe sticking out the back of his head. Across the water, Rissa was grinning. Roman released the arrow, killing the girl from 8. Boom, boom.

Boom. Rissa dropped to the ground, her throat slit, the girl from 7 standing behind her. Roman cried out, and shot an arrow towards 7, but she dodged it and scurried off. Roman and I crossed the river, and reached Rissa, her eyes blank. I shut them. "Bye, Rissa," I started to cry. I never trusted Rissa very much, but she was nice enough not to kill me. I got up to leave, but Roman was still sitting by her.

"Are you coming?"

"No, I'll stay," he was crying.

"Are you going to come back to camp?"

"I don't think so."

I walked over to him and hugged him, and kissed him on the cheek. "Bye then, Roman. It was great meeting you, and good luck."

I returned to camp, alone and teary eyed. Reuben and Jasper looked at me. "Who died?"

"The girl from 8, the boy from 9, the boy from 12, and Rissa."

"Who killed Rissa?"

"The girl from 7, Roman tried to shoot her, but she got away. Roman stayed behind."

"Is that the end of our alliance with him, then?" asks Reuben.

I shrug. "I guess."

Since I forgot to bring back any food, I share my trail mix with them. I filled up the bottles though, and since Rissa's gone and Roman left, there's 4 bottles for 3 people, more than enough. I start crying again, over Rissa and Roman.

"Kat! Kat!" I hear a male yell, it has to be Roman, even though our alliance is over, it breaks my heart to hear his struggled yells. I drop everything and run towards the voice, and Jasper follows. I reach him, and a cannon goes off, but it's not him. The footsteps behind me cease, after watching the girl from 7 shoot something, and it flew past my head. Jasper. "Jasper! Jasper!" He lies on the ground motionless, an arrow in his heart. Another cannon goes off, but Roman seems to be alive, and so is district 7. So it was either Reuben or district 11. I shut Jasper's eyes, and go to attack district 7, but she dodges me, and shoots me in the abdomen. I fall to the ground. "Roman." I lay there, waiting for my cannon, but it doesn't come. Roman goes over to me, and carefully removes the arrow. I see the boy from 11 join the girl from 7, and they high-five. That only means one thing. "You killed Reuben, the boy from 1."

He grinned. "That's right. Now for another kill, I'll end your pain, Odair," He pushes Roman back and leans over me. Roman tackles him, and he drops something and I pick it up without looking at it, and it's small enough to go in my small pocket with my token, so I put it there, and I throw a knife at 7, and her cannon goes off.

Then I hear another cannon, and I look over, and see the boy from 11 stand. My heart absolutely sinks. "Roman!" I'm shrieking, "You killed him! You, you're, you.." I clutch my abdomen, pain in shooting up my body.

I grab a knife and throw it as hard as humanly possible, and it strikes him in the center of his forehead. Boom. Trumpets go off.

"We'd like to congratulate Katherine Odair, from District 4, for being the winner of the 73rd Hunger Games!"

I'm shrieking, and I crawl over to Roman, a knife in his heart. His eyes are already closed, and I just cling onto him. A hovercraft begins to descend. "No! No! He's not gone! Please, don't let him be gone. Roman, don't be gone. Please." A group of Peacekeepers separate me from him, and I'm kicking and screaming. "Roman! Roman! No! Let go!"

They take the girl from 7, the boy from 11, and Roman into a separate place on the hovercraft as me. I just lay on the floor sobbing, hoping to wake up, or to die myself. "Roman." I moan, my sobs get louder. I open the zippered pocket and take the two items out. My keychain, and a necklace with a small lump of graphite connected by some steel wire. Graphite, District 2's export. Roman's token. I slip it around my neck. And wait for the rest of my life without him.

_Okay guys, Roman became like, my favorite character, and I actually started to cry when I killed him off. The next chapter is going to be the 3__rd__ Quarter Quell, 2 years later. Stay tuned! Maybe a few strange twists up my sleeve will appear involving Roman. Hmmm.._


	4. Chapter 4

2 years later, the 3rd Quarter Quell,

Finnick:

Snow's words. Pretty much stating he was going to recycle the victors back into the arena. Kat looked at me with wide eyes, not ever wanting to go back into that retched place. Annie ran into the room, crying, and slightly hyperventilating. I held both of them close to me, never wanting to have them leave me, or me leave them. Kat wasn't crying, but still upset. Over the past two years, she's become stronger, both mentally and physically. She learned from Jasper's brother how to shoot a bow and arrow, and is adept at it now, and all of her skills seem to be well rounded. She's grown much taller and gained muscle weight, so she can't run as fast, but is still faster than I am.

"We had better get ready for this," I state.

"I'm ready, I'll be strong," says Kat.

Annie is still sitting, not completely in touch with reality. I comfort her, and Kat goes to choose clothes for the reaping for the three of us. She's become slightly girly, and hasn't trained for anything, except learning how to shoot, in case we may need to hunt in the wild if there's a rebellion. She still wears District 2's necklace around her neck.

I still couldn't believe Snow was giving us such short notice, the reaping being tomorrow. Kat came back holding a gorgeous dress that belonged to Annie. She tapped her shoulder, and showed it to her. Annie grinned. Then, I realized, it was less than 24 hours away, a mere 15 hours. I went to my room, to see my old reaping outfit on my bed. I lay it aside on my desk chair, and just lay in the darkness. Thinking about Snow, Annie, and the Games, mainly. How Snow could do this to the past victors, all of the absolute hell we went through , we had to watch our allies die, watch the other child from our district die. I start crying again, knowing I'm alone. And then I think of my father. Last year, he had gone out to sea on a great fishing expedition, and never came back. Mother thinks he died, Kat is more optimistic, not very much, though, and thinks maybe he found new land and the natives burned the ship.

I'd never really thought of lands outside of Panem, until she said that. The Capitol and the government don't give us information on lands besides ours, and they don't give us very much info on that, either. That's why they have the electric fences, to keep us away from the other districts. I sigh, and finally try to sleep. I dream of a perfect world, Kat finally finds the one she truly loves, Annie and I are married with children, the Games are outlawed, the best dream I've had ever since finding out I had to go into the arena. I wake up to a scream, and find out it was just Annie having a nightmare. I sleep with her for the rest of the night. In the very early morning, our cat, Opal, climbs into our bed and curls up at the end. I stroke her for a bit and go back to sleep. When I wake the next time, it's bright out, and Mother is cooking breakfast. Kat is already up and at the table, looking very well slept, even though she says she doesn't feel like it. Annie wakes soon after I do, looking perky and alert, and eats breakfast like somebody from District 12 would. Kat just moves her food around, taking small bites here and there. I swipe one of the shrimps off of her grits, and she smacks my hand playfully.

Soon after, we dress into our reaping outfits, and head out. When we reach our destination, there's quite a few men and women here. Mags would've been here, but she died the night before. It's rumored that she died of a heart attack when she learned she might have had to go back into the arena, but I didn't believe it, she was a strong woman. I think of District 12, having only 3 victors, and if it weren't for last year, there would've only been one. I think of the Everdeen girl, having to go back because of her being the only female, but I think that was Snow's plan the whole time, to get back at her for the berries. I had never realized how many victors our district had until now, I had never really counted or paid attention to them. There were probably about 30 of us. Annie and Kat stood together, hand in hand. Keema stood bright eyed and happy on top of the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the reaping will not begin for another thirty minutes! So, talk amongst yourselves, and may the odds be ever in your favor!"

Most of us groaned, especially me. I just wanted to get this all over with. I sat on a nearby chair, and put my head between my knees, thinking. Thinking how I thought last night in bed. What felt like an eternity later, I asked a man walking by how long it had been since she made the announcement, and he looked at me with a smile, and said three minutes. I groaned, again, thinking of the eternity thirty is going to be. He sat next to me, and we talked. His name was Leemus, and he was in the 45th games, and he won when he was 18, and was now in his late forties. He said he didn't mind if he got reaped, as he pulled something the Capitol didn't like, though he didn't say what, and it got his family killed. He had a wife and 2 daughters. He apologized for our family's loss, my father's disappearance, and he said he knew him long ago, and he was one of the best men he knew. After a long talk with him, Keema came back up to the stage and began her usual reaping speech. Leemus shook my hand, wished me luck, and walked off somewhere.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, ladies first!" She reached her hand into the bowl, and plucked out a name.

"Annie Cresta!"

Annie screamed and started to cry, and I helped her with the long walk up to the stage. She shook Keema's hand shakily, and introduced herself.

"Now, are there any volunteers?"

I expected silence, but I heard a small voice say, "Me."

Keema looked surprised. She looked around. "Who said that?"

I saw a slim young female walk into the aisle. No, not again. "I said, me. I volunteer as tribute to replace Annie Cresta."

"Well, Miss Odair! What a surprise! Come on up! Annie, you may return to the audience." Annie tried pulling Kat's hand, to get her off the stage, but she wouldn't move, she just brushed her hand away and walked further onto the stage.

"Alright then! Now, for the men!" she reached her hand into the boy's bowl, and I suddenly realized that she had strange long nails tapered to a sharp point, painted a sickly neon green.

She unfolded the paper she plucked out, and let out a sharp gasp. Suspense, I guessed, but after she read the name, I would've been surprised too. "Finnick Odair!"

Kat's expression turned from upset to completely blank within seconds, and she crumpled onto the stage. There were a few screams from the audience, and I ran up the stair to help her up. She was completely out, so I held her in my arms.

Leemus began running up to the stage, horror in his eyes, only to be shot by a Peacekeeper. The audience screamed again, and his last words were, "I.. volunteer."

Keema's usually bubbly and sweet expression faltered, and she began to shake. "Any.. other volunteers?" Nobody. The Peacekeepers ruined my last chance of having a complete family, only one, or neither of us were going to come out of the games, and I was pretty sure Snow was going to make sure that rule was enforced during the Quell, no matter our relationship to the other tributes. Kat finally came back around, only to see Leemus dead, the Peacekeepers carrying him away.

She stood up straight, and brushed off her outfit. We were escorted off the stage by Peacekeepers, and taken directly to the train station, which I thought was strange. Once again, we were paired with Darien and Emmelia. Darien didn't look at me the whole time, and kept muttering sorry to me whenever he brushed against me or accidentally caught my eye. There were other tributes on the train, from 1, 2, and 3. That would probably mean they were picking up the tributes in district order. I recognized the tributes, Cashmere and Gloss, brother and sister, much like Kat and I are, Enobaria and Brutus, and Beetee and Wiress. My sister was chatting with the other siblings, cracking up laughing with them. After picking up all the tributes, Districts 1-11, because 12 took their own train, we arrived in this great dining room with an array of foods. I skip eating, as I'm no longer hungry. I go early to get styled, doing the usual routine, which is much less they do with the girls, and handed me over to the main stylist. He put me in this strange golden net, and tied it strategically around my groin. Great, that's just what I need to make people take me seriously. Then I go to an area full of horses, and grab a handful of sugar cubes, and see the girl from District 12.

"Hello, Katniss," I say as if I've known her all my life.

"Hello, Finnick," she says casually, although she looks slightly uncomfortable.

"Want a sugar cube?" I ask her, offering my hand, which is piled high. "They're supposed to be for the horses, but who cares? They've got years to eat sugar, whereas you and I.. well, if we see something sweet, we better grab it quick."

She refuses politely, and says, "But I'd love to borrow your outfit sometime."

I noticed she was in her outfit as well. "What happened to the pretty little girl dresses, Katniss?"

"I outgrew them," she says, her face serious.

I lean against the wall and take the collar of her shirt between my fingers, and start with some other useless talk with her, just trying to bug her. I notices some other tributes around, all fed and in their outfits already. Kat walked in the background, and winked at me and Katniss, knowing I enjoy messing with their minds, the tributes, that is, and made a heart with her index fingers and thumbs, and kept walking on by. I talked to her about my prostitution, but lightly, seductively. I get closer to her, almost touching her lips, and ask her if she has any secrets worth my time. And what does Katniss Everdeen do? Blush. Soon after, our conversation is over, I toss another sugar cube into my mouth, and saunter off. The Mellark boy goes over to her, and asks her what I wanted, and she says something, and claims I make her skin crawl. I laugh quietly to myself, as that was my plan all along.

"What was _that _ all about?" asks Kat, "You looked pretty comfy with her."

"Oh Kat, I'm just messing with her a bit," I grin.

"Please." She laughs.

"Yes, you know who I love. And it's not her."

"Whatever you say," she winks and gives me a playful shove, and walks away.

Then I see Peeta Mellark go over to my sister, and I tense up. Somebody walks behind me and simply asks, "Problem, Finnick?" it was Katniss again.

I loosen up, and turn to her. "Not at all, dear Katniss."

"Who _is _that pretty young girl you came here with, she looks a lot like you, or is that what all the people look like in your district?"

I find an opportunity to mess with her again. "That's my wife," I say, with a completely straight face.

Her face is priceless, a mix of horror and disgust. "You're joking! Really, Finnick, she looks familiar, but I can't quite place it. I know she's a past victor, or she wouldn't be here. Did you marry another victor without telling the world?"

"That's Katie Odair, my wife, Katniss," I grin, "and we're happily married." I used a nickname that only our dad called her when he was around.

She motions for Peeta and my sister to come over. She grins and asks, "What's it like to be married to Finnick, Katie?"

The expression on Kat's face was even more hilarious than Katniss'. She started choking a bit, and shoved me really hard. "Oh my God, Finnick! What did you tell her?" she started laughing, her face turning a bright shade of red.

"That you're my wife, dear Katie, and we're happily married!" I give her a big kiss on her forehead.

She laughs again, her shade of red mellowing down to a soft pink. She extends her arm to Katniss, and shakes her hand, and she's still laughing, a bit uncontrollably. She kept laughing between words. "Don't listen to him, ever. I'm Katherine Odair, his _sister_."

"Oh, I remember you now, you were in the Games the before I was. That year was particularly difficult to watch, with you grouping with the careers and then.." her voice trailed off. "The deaths."

Kat's left hand involuntarily flew up to the necklace, and started playing with it, her face still smiling. "Yeah, but you know, it's gotten easier, but not much. You and Peeta are incredibly lucky to have the Gamemakers allow two tributes out of the Games. Cherish the relationship you have with him, Girl on Fire.

She turns to Peeta and talks with him quite a bit, and I walked around aimlessly, thinking of strategies, and how I had to watch the others in the training arena, uncover their strengths and weaknesses. I saw my sister walk by, looking around, when Enobaria came around the corner and slammed her into a wall, I tried to go over there, but Brutus held me back. I could hear everything they were saying.

"Hey, 4, I'm going to absolutely demolish you in the arena this year, and you don't have your little lover boys to protect you this year. Oh, what were their names? Jasper, and _Roman_?"

The way she said his name made the anger well up inside of her, and she spat in Enobaria's right eye. She then tugged Kat's hair back, making her give out a little yelp. "Just because you and your pretty boy brother are both strong and attractive, doesn't mean you're going to win this. You're much too small anyways."

"Let her go, Enobaria!" says one of the Gamemakers as they go by. "You too, Brutus. You two will have plenty of time to go attacking them in the Arena."

We were let go, and Brutus had to let one last dig in, "Nice net, 4. It really accents your bare torso." But he also seemed a bit distracted too, but I couldn't quite tell where he was looking. Then I saw it, he was staring at my sister, at her chest. Sure, the net dress that she was put in covered everything, but they were still extremely noticeable. I leaned over to him and grinned, "Like what you see in her, Brutus?" he nodded his head slightly, a barely noticeable blush coming over his cheeks. "Really? Now just image my face whenever you see her, because if you mess with her, I swear you will be the first to die in that Arena, and that's not a threat, that's a promise." I had hid a cube in one of the folds of my net. "Sugar cube?"

He shook his head, and I walked off. "Wait," he says. "I want to talk to you."

"What?" I snap, "It can't be important."

"Is your sister's happiness important, or not?" His words send a chill down my spine.

"Well, of course, what is it?"

"It's about Roman," my heart felt like it stopped, "I heard he," he was cut off by a group of Gamemakers.

"Training time! Let's hurry, you two, you can talk later!" says one of them, and they push us towards the arena.

The training arena looks the same as it has when I first trained here. Enobaria was up for the throwing knives, and Kat had to pass the target real quick, and Enobaria threw the knife right at her head. Kat's eyes widened, and ducked.

Peeta ran up to her, and asked, "Are you okay? You're pretty swift, Odair." He helped her up onto her feet, and berated Enobaria. "What was that, you could've killed her!"

"Oops, I didn't see her, sorry." She rolled her eyes, and went right back to shooting.

I was after Kat, to show my skills off, and to try to get the best score. I felt incredibly nervous, although I wasn't sure why, as I had already done this before. So, of course, first of all, I showed them the dazzling Finnick smile, and got to work. I came out feeling refreshed, and I went back to my room, wondering what Brutus was going to tell me.

"Come on, Finn, the scores are almost up!" Kat patted the seat next to her.

I sat there, and turned on the television. Caesar Flickerman was on there, announcing some so called 'important' news about the Quell, and then got to scorings. Then he finally got to 4.

"District 4 female!" Kat stood up, and bent her knees a bit. "11!"

She gasped, and did a little victory dance. It was lower than two years ago, but this year, the judges were the legendary ones from as far back as the 40th Games. But she was still happy.

"District 4 male!" Caesar smiled his legendary smile, "12!"

"Oh my gosh, Finnick!" she squealed a bit, and grabbed my hand, and we did a little dance together. "That's amazing!"

"We can do it, I know we can."

Kat:

The news of our scores absolutely thrilled me. Finnick had a chance, he's strong and handsome, and me, I'm going to get destroyed by Enobaria, most likely. The games were just a few hours away, and I started getting a knot in my stomach, and I felt incredibly lightheaded.

"Finnick, I don't feel well." I clamped a hand on his shoulder to steady myself. My vision began to blur, and then darken, until all I felt was nothing.

I woke up to hear doctors muttering things about me and the games. I sat up, and removed the needle from my hand and the other things they stuck to me. I went to find somebody, and one of the doctors saw me, and smiled.

"Miss Odair, are you sure you want to be moving around?"

"Why, what happened?"

"You collapsed on the floor of your room! Gave your brother quite a scare, will you be ready for the games? They're just two hours away."

"Yeah, but can I eat something first? I'm really hungry."

"Well didn't you eat this morning, with the others?"

"Well, no, not really. I wasn't hungry, and I didn't eat breakfast, or dinner last night," they looked at me shocked. "I just wasn't hungry, I'm not trying to starve myself. The Games has been putting a lot of stress again."

"Alright, alright. Let's get you out of that gown, and send you to be dressed for the Games, then we'll get you something to eat."

So I went again to see Tenney, who dressed me in a blue jumpsuit that fit my body like a glove, and a strange belt with a purple liquid in the buckle. "Um, can we do something to cover my, erm, chest?" My chest was much bigger than girls my age, and I didn't want them to be in the way during the Games. He just laughed.

"You should cherish that gift, they've grown quite a bit since the last time I saw you!" he grabbed a jacket from a wardrobe that was in the room, and put me in it. It wasn't much better, but it was sure better than nothing. I pulled the necklace from the inside of my jumpsuit, and put it in my jacket, away from sight, but I knew it was there.

"You look stunning, Katherine. You're starting to become a gorgeous young lady! Now, it's about that time again. Time for 'entertainment' for Panem," the way he said entertainment made me grin. He clearly did not like the Games. "Now you go out there, and fight to the death with your allies and your older brother, and make the world proud, just as you did before." He led me to the cylindrical elevator, just as he did before, and hugged me. Soon after, I could see the arena. I smiled, there was water, and there were tridents in the back of the Cornucopia. This arena was made for my district. I could see Enobaria, grinning evilly at me. I figured out my strategy, and then I heard the timer, and I sprinted as fast as I possibly could, and swam across the river equally as fast. I looked to my right and saw Finnick kill the man from District 5. Then I saw a man with yellowish skin and sunken in eyes running to the Cornucopia. I got a trident from the back of it, and threw it at the man's head, and he was gone, and I fetched the trident. I also picked up a backpack, but Katniss shot an arrow at my direction, only because who it was meant for dodged it. I dropped the backpack, and ran to the right, only to find more water, and run into another tribute.

I fumble for my trident, and look up, only to find Katniss, Peeta, and Finnick standing above me. I grab my trident and stand up.

"In a hurry, Kitty Kat?" Finnick asks teasingly, and I smirk at him.

"Sorry," I mumble to Peeta, and he laughs a little, and so does Katniss, and tells me how she did the same thing the year before with a girl she called Foxface.

My body started giving up on me, but I wasn't quite sure why. I knew it wasn't from hunger, because I ate only a couple hours before the games. Something else. Something I've never felt before.

"Hey, guys, you go up ahead, I'll try to gather things that are lying around."

"Are you sure you'll be safe? We're up against victors, not just regular children," says Peeta

I wave my hand, and they go ahead. Finnick looks back, and I smile. Well, smile the best I can considering the way I feel.

I feel as if pain, agony, and despair has washed over me. My legs start to go wobbly, and I fall on my back. And then I see a person towering over me, but I can't move, or see, because my body won't move and my vision is becoming blurry. But it looks like a woman, and I fear it's Enobaria, and my fears are soon confirmed when they start to speak. "Hello, Odair, did you enjoy your beverage during meal time today? I added an extra surprise to it."

"You poisoned me?" I ask, my words slurring.

"I'm afraid so. Now, let's take a little walk! Get up, or I'll injure your pretty little face," she knew that I was unable to, and smiled. The blurriness was going away.

"You knew him, did you not like him?" I ask her.

"Damn, what was in that poison? What the hell are you talking about, 4?"

"You know who I'm talking about, very well," I pull the necklace out of my jacket, and a wave of familiarity washes over her face.

"Oh, him. I trained him, but I didn't _know _him. As for me liking him, he was brutal while training. Admirable, but not likable. He was a fireball. You seemed to take a fancy to him, and you know what they say, never like somebody too much in the arena. Eventually they'll turn on you and kill you, or they'll die," she sighs.

"Why haven't you killed me, 2? Didn't you say not to make allies? You're a vicious bitch, and I'm surprised I'm not already long gone and out of this arena. You know, being paralyzed and all, and being an easy target?"

"I didn't say not to make allies, I said never like somebody too much in the arena. There's a difference. As for your question, the careers chose to go Carrigan on you.

So three others came from the distance, and started to drag me. I felt like I was going to cry, but I felt too dry to do so. So I just shut my eyes tight and wished it all away. Somebody threw me onto a hard, cold surface, and I realized I was in a muddy and watery cave. Gloss pulled out a knife, and my eyes widened. He kneeled down, and grabbed my foot. The other tributes and I were all wondering what he was doing, and then I realized, and started to scream. And one of the absolute worst pains shot up my body. I shrieked so loud, that I had never heard anybody, or anything so high pitched. They left then, and I laid there, now being useless to the games. I closed my eyes, and thought of my family, created an alternate ending for my father, one in which he comes back alive. I drift off to sleep, a peaceful one, and have lovely dreams.

I was sleeping for days, on and off, hungry and thirsty. I would quite literally kill somebody for food or water, only if I could. I heard movement on the outside of the cave, but soon went away. This was probably their plan, to cut my Achilles tendon and leave me here to either starve to death or die of dehydration. I then heard music, music that would come out of a musical box. Where have I heard that before, I thought? Then I knew. It was a parachute, possibly containing something that could possibly help me survive. Most likely, as I wasn't very entertaining lying around in a cave. I dragged my body to the parachute, and then dragged myself back. I found a bottle, about the length of my thumb, and popped it open, and found pills, with a note on the inside.

_Hey there Sweetheart, I talked with your mentor about getting you these, and although we haven't met, I thought you'd like to get back on your feet. Take these pills, and get out there and make a mess. ~Haymitch Abernathy._

I silently thanked the man named Haymitch, and popped a pill in my mouth, and swallowed it dry. Where my cut was, started to feel better already. They call it medicine, I call it Capitol magic.

I heard another noise on the outside, and heard two men discussing the force field that was on the boundaries of the arena, and about Katniss destroying it. They poked their heads in, and I played dead.

"That's weird, why is she here? Is she dead?" asked a voice, which I recognized at Peeta's.

"I don't know, let me check. I see she got a parachute, lucky girl," Finnick.

"Finnick?" I ask, noticing how raspy my voice is.

"Which tribute are you?" he asks, keeping his distance from me, just in case I was hiding something that may harm him.

"I'm your sister. Now get over here and help me up."

He swiftly walks over, and assesses me, and discovers my issue. He looks at the note and the bottle of pills. "Are these for healing?"

"Yes, but that's not important. Can I eat or drink, preferably both?" my throat feels like fire. "I haven't had anything since I entered the arena, Gloss cut me on the first day."

He chuckled, grabbing a bottle and some fish out of his bag. "Have you even killed anybody?"

"The District 6 male, at the Cornucopia. Hey, about what time is it?"

"Maybe around 10 or 11, day 3."

I eat and drink, and take another pill, and then I could finally get back up on my feet, and grabbed my trident, which laid about ten feet away.

"Where did you think I was?"

"I thought you might've died, honestly, and they forgot to show you. It isn't like you to avoid making allies."

"Who's left?"

Peeta answers. "You, Finnick, Enobaria, Katniss, Johanna, Beetee, and I, so that makes 7."

I nod, and start to feel tired again, so I go back to sleep. I'm woken by an explosion like sound, and Finnick and Peeta smile. I conclude it's the force field, and I stand, and am able to stay standing. Suddenly, I can hear hovercrafts zooming by, and we gather everything and run outside. We run to the edge of the arena, which takes us about 5 minutes. We run around the perimeter until we find Katniss, Beetee, Johanna and Enobaria. They all look confused, and are looking up. Hovercrafts are flying overhead, and everybody starting running, and I stupidly run in a direction nobody else seems to be running in. I act as if I'm at the Cornucopia, running to get the only weapon. I'm much slower, as my Achilles tendon isn't fully healed, but it can't be in too bad of shape if I'm able to run. A hovercraft lands in front of me, and I run to the right, straight into the force field. I get back up, and become very dizzy, but keep going on, not knowing what going into one of those hovercrafts might bring.

Soon, a hovercraft lands, and men in Peacekeeper uniforms run after me, and I speed up, which causes my whole right foot to hurt, but I keep going. Then another hovercraft lands, which only means one thing, they're trying to surround me. A hand grabs my shoulder, and I whip my head around to see a woman in a Peacekeeper uniform, which was odd, because I only knew of two women Peacekeepers. I broke free of her grasp, only to run into the other end of the force field, which was slowing me down a lot. I ran diagonally, and saw another hovercraft, and tried to run around it, only to run into a group of Peacekeepers.

I scream for Finnick, but hear nothing in return.

The group of men walk towards me, and I'm still flat on the ground. I try to scramble to get up, but fall right back down, and they carry me to the hovercraft, with me squirming around, trying to break free. When I get on the hovercraft, I see Beetee and Katniss, both attached to machines, and Plutarch Heavensbee . He leads me to some sort of operating table, and lies me down on it, and pulls out a needle full of liquid, and before I have time to object, inserts it into my right calf, and a blissful feeling shoots down my leg, and into my foot. I'm guessing it finished the job of healing the tendon. I lay there, and see Katniss get up, and she grabs a needle. She goes into another room, and I can hear a man's voice I don't recognize, Plutarch, and somebody else. Finnick. I try to get up, but I still feel dizzy from running into the sides of the force field that weren't blown up. I lose my footing and crash down, laughing a bit. I get back up, only to fall again, this time on my face, but I'm still laughing.

"Beetee? Is that you? Stop making a commotion," says Katniss.

I'm laughing, and it finally dies down, and I finally find myself again. I stumble into the next room, and cling onto the wall. "Hello Katniss. Did I miss anything?"

"Only address Katniss, eh, Sweetheart?" asks a man with longish hair and a beard, and his voice is the one I didn't recognize from earlier.

"Sorry, not quite feeling myself, after getting shocked twice by the damn force field. Hello Katniss, Finnick, Plutarch, and, um," I pause, so he can tell me his name.

"Haymitch."

"Ah. Haymitch. Thank you for the medicine," I turn to Finnick. "You look like absolute hell." I laugh darkly.

"I feel the same way I look, then," he looks ragged, and I guess that I don't look quite fancy myself.

I find a mirror nearby, and what I see actually makes me jump back a bit. My hair is frizzy, my eyes and cheeks a bit sunken in, clothes tattered, dirt and scuff marks everywhere, and I notice my ribs protruding a bit. Plutarch invites me to eat, and I thank him. He and the others talk about rebellions and how it was vital for Katniss to blow out the force field. And they say we're going to 13, and a fog of confusion sweeps over Katniss, Finnick, and I.

"What?" I ask. "There is not 13, and there hasn't been for years. It's a wasteland."

"Bonnie and Twill, a woman and teen from District 8, believe that there is, it's just underground. Who knows what we'll find?"

"Wastelands, most likely. Sorry for not having much hope in this, but really. Why hasn't somebody discovered it already out of curiosity of some sort, and told people? How did the Eight's believe to be civilization there?"

Katniss looked down at her plate. "A Mockingjay."

I smile. "Excuse me?"

"You know how they always show the people live at 13?" she asks, and I nod. "Well, if you look closely, a Mockingjay in the corner will fly away, every single time."

"And this is sufficient information to drag ourselves all the way there? A bird? What if it's true, that there are still toxic fumes, and after all this, we end up dying?"

"I don't know. Just trust us."

I roll my eyes, and I realized something. "Where are the others? Peeta, Enobaria, and Johanna?"

"We think the Capitol took them." My eyes widen. "Oh, but we don't think they'll harm them."

"Not harm a baker's son? What makes you think that, he's just another pawn."

Katniss' eyes flicker with a sort of fire when I say that. "A pawn in their games," she ignores my question.

"Something bothering you?"

She snaps back into reality. "No. It's just something the District 2 boy during my year in the games said that was similar."

District 2 boy. It feels like a knot ties in my stomach. "Cato?" I ask, and she nods.

"I once knew him," one of her brows rises. "His family liked seafood, we were their supplier. He and his family came to Four a lot to get it, and while my parents and Finnick were stocking them up, he and I talked a lot about the Games and sometimes simply the things we liked. When he wasn't acting cocky and arrogant, he was actually quite pleasant to speak to. I couldn't watch your Games anymore when Cato had Peeta in a headlock, I just knew it wasn't going to end well, either for him, Peeta, or both of them. I hid my eyes until I heard a cannon, and I looked up and saw Peeta and you together on the Cornucopia, and I knew he was gone forever. We had one of those strange bonds, something more than friendship, and less than siblings, but nothing romantic, either."

Finnick looks up. "You always have strange bonds with District 2 boys," I gave him a look so sharp he cringed a bit.

I ate my meal in silence, because I said what I had to say. Then Katniss spoke again. "You remind me of my sister. The things around you have caused you to age too fast. The Games, they do horrible things to people. Make fifteen year olds act like they're in their thirties. They steal your childhood," I nodded, knowing I felt the same way.

We arrived in 13, and were led underground, and discovered Bonnie, Twill, and Katniss were right. There is civilization. I stared in awe at the place, something so hidden, but yet so out in the open. Finnick holds my hand, and I squeeze his and smile. We finally made it, made it to a place where hopefully, just maybe, we can be safe. We're taken to a room, where a man is making a speech about being loyal and respectful. The man looks familiar, but I can't quite place it. I poke at my ribs, upset at how painfully thin I am. I crave more food, and maybe a glass of water, or two. I stare at the man, the facial structure, the hazel eyes, the skin tone, the hair color. It was driving me insane, trying to think who he was.

He finishes off stating his name, Reynold Carrigan. Carrigan. Oh my god.

He steps off the stage, and I follow him into another room. "Excuse me, young lady, you're supposed to be with the rest of the group."

"You're a Carrigan."

"Yes, are you looking for my son, young lady? He helps with the new recruits. He would be in the training room."

"What is your son's name?" I ask, my heart drumming in my chest, waiting for him to say the word, the key to my happiness.

"Roman."

I start to cry. He's alive.

Roman's alive.


End file.
